Eternity
by DarkDramaLady
Summary: Even before Galbatorix was born, an elf and a human could not be together. Not even when both of them were Riders. It's a fact that follows Istalria for eternity. Fluffy one shot written by one friend for another. Rated T for character death and the author's paranoia.


**Luna Note:** Hi, people! This is Luna Safire. First, thanks to DarkDramaLady for always letting me use her account. Second, I don't own what I used of CP's excellent series, the Inheritance Cycle. Third, I wrote this for a friend who was having relationship issues, so thanks to her for letting me post this. Finally, if you came here from Vrangr, thanks for reading my story; if not, go check it out - it's on DarkDramaLady's account as well. Thanks in advance to any reviewers. Anyway, enjoy, review, tell your friends!

**DarkDramaLady Note: **... I don't actually have anything to say, other than this is an adorable story, so go read it!

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They sat on the grassy hill every night, the human and the elf, talking about what was and what is, as the moon shone brightly in the sky above them. But never talking about what could or should or would be. Never about the future. Never about the eternity that awaited them.

They sat, backs together, watching her dragon race his across the dark sky, talking about the eggs that would soon be taken to the Broddring Kingdom and Du Weldenvarden so that their Riders could be found. As usual, they took random guesses at what the personalities and backgrounds of the new recruits would be. Istalria thought that the brown one would have a blacksmith's son for a Rider. Her counterpart, Kilifin, claimed that it would choose a quiet elven girl. This was the game they always played; neither was ever correct, but that didn't stop them.

Sometimes they brought up more important matters: a revolt, a strange monster wreaking havoc on the lands of Alagaesia, whispered rumors of a Shade. Istalria might despair on these matters, but Kilifin was there every night to calm her nerves.

_He's always there for you,_ her dragon always said. _What am I here for? _And Istalria would laugh and say that the dragons had brought them together. And it was true. The Riders were the only way a poor human girl like Istalria might ever meet an elf like Kilifin.

Sometimes she wondered why they never talked about the future. But she knew, somewhere inside herself: if they did discuss the future, what could be, what would she say? An elf and a human simply couldn't be. Because she knew they couldn't last an eternity. Nothing could. And they had eternity to live.

She always pushed these thoughts off as silly and romantic.

They sat in their usual places one night when the moon shone bright in the sky. The human and the elf sat back to back on the grassy hill near the city, dragons soaring high above. And for the first time, Kilifin spoke of what could be: "I think I've found her."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I've found someone who I really love."

"Who might that be?"

"Helena, the daughter of Léffinal the blacksmith."

"Yes, I know her. What are you going to do about it? Elves don't marry."

"I shall be her mate – for a day, for a year, for eternity. For as long as she loves me." And Istalria's heart broke.

o0-0o

Istalria closed her eyes and walked into Kilifin's room. The room he would not return to. He was gone forever. For eternity.

o0-0o

One night, sitting on the hill near the city, Kilifin announced that he was leaving Vroengard.

"Why?" Istalria asked.

"There is a Shade, last seen in Yazuac. Someone needs to go kill him."

Istalria gasped. To hunt a Shade was to commit suicide. Only two had ever lived to tell how they had killed their Shades, and they were both long dead themselves by now. "What about Helena? You cannot abandon your mate."

"Helena abandoned me months ago."

This news was startling to Istalria. "You never told me."

"You never needed to know."

Far above them, Istalria's blue dragon looped around Kilifin's black. Istalria looked up at them and suddenly stood.

"Where are you going?" Kilifin asked.

"Nowhere at all," Istalria said, sitting down again. In front of Kilifin, though, so they faced each other. For the first time on that little hill, not back to back, but face to face.

The dragons roared above.

o0-0o

She wasn't entirely sure why she was the one who was asked to go through Kilifin's things. He had gone to Yazuac the night after announcing his intentions to Istalria and done his duty and killed the Shade. In return, he and his dragon had given their lives. Istalria didn't see where she factored into this.

Until she opened the chest near his bed.

Inside was a huge assortment of fairths. Most were of nature – a flower, a tree, a rainbow in a storm. A few showed Helena, the beautiful elf girl who had taken Kilifin for so long. Istalria went through these quickly. Next were the landscapes – full vistas of sea and earth and sky. At the last one, though, her breath caught.

It showed a grassy hill under a night sky, stars twinkling, two draconic shapes just darker than the sky flying above. On the hill were two silhouettes – one with pointed ears, one with round. They just sat there, face to face, on that grassy hill, looking at each other and talking. Sitting and talking under the brightly shining moon, just sitting and talking on the little slate Istalria stared at for hours.

And the moon shone bright in the sky. Just like it always would. For eternity.

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**DarkDramaLady Note: **Adorable is it not, let us know just how much you loved it by reviewing and telling your friends! All reviewers shall get cookies. But only the good cookies. Like chocolate chip, and if you don't like chocolate than sugar, or you can just have the dough.


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